Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been utilized since about the 1960s. However, for the first few decades of use, the relatively low light output and narrow range of colored illumination limited the LED utilization role to specialized applications (e.g., indicator lamps). As light output improved, LED utilization within other lighting systems, such as within LED “EXIT” signs and LED traffic signals, began to increase. Over the last several years, the white light output capacity of LEDs has more than tripled, thereby allowing the LED to become the lighting solution of choice for a wide range of lighting solutions.
LEDs exhibit significantly optimized characteristics, such as source efficacy, optical control and extremely long operating life, which make them excellent choices for general lighting applications. LED efficiencies, for example, may provide light output magnitudes of up to 200 lumens per watt of power dissipation. Energy savings may, therefore, be realized when utilizing LED-based lighting systems as compared to the energy usage of, for example, incandescent, halogen, compact fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting systems. As per an example, an LED-based lighting fixture may utilize a small percentage (e.g., 15-20%) of the power utilized by an HID-based lighting system, but may still produce an equivalent magnitude of light.
LED technologies are gaining attraction due to their high luminous efficacy and their ability to produce narrow-band spectral distributions; therefore, their usage in home and office environments is becoming increasingly predominant. Ease, convenience and automation of use, however, of such home and office based LED lighting systems seems to be lagging behind the development of the LED lighting fixtures themselves.
Efforts continue, therefore, to develop systems and controls for home, office and business-based lighting systems.